How to Dial Up the Privacy on Your Phone

There’s no way to completely NSA-proof your phone calls and data. But you can make the spy agency—and anyone else—work harder to get it.A year after Edward Snowden made surveillance a household term, privacy and security are becoming services you can buy in your phone. This week, Blackphone, a $629 Android phone that can secure calls and messages, starts shipping. And FreedomPop, a small U.S. carrier, now offers an $8-per-month, add-on privacy service for Android handsets.

Here’s a scary reality: Phone networks are insecure, and the equipment to digitally eavesdrop is getting more common. If you work with trade secrets or confidential documents, you should assess your risks. But those of us with less sensitive, but more personal, data must recognize that smartphone apps can eavesdrop too, recording your locations, contacts and photos, and possibly sharing them in ways you don’t know.

For people concerned about government or corporate espionage, hackers, and apps that grab and share your data, the question is: Are these new privacy products worth switching phones?